You would use a compound light microscope to observe the nucleus of a cheek cell in biology class. Here's why:

* Magnification: Compound light microscopes offer sufficient magnification to see the nucleus, which is a relatively small structure within a cell.

* Resolution: They provide enough resolution to distinguish the nucleus from other cell components.

* Ease of Use: Compound light microscopes are relatively easy to use and are commonly found in biology labs.

While other types of microscopes exist (e.g., electron microscopes), they are more complex and typically used for observing much smaller structures at a much higher magnification.